Temporary Positions

All EEO Groups

What is a temporary employee?

Employees who are regularly scheduled to work full-time or part-time and whose positions are expected to be active for a period up to, but less than, four and one-half months. 

 

Temporary employment is used to provide:

• An additional employee (part or full time) to the work force of a unit to supplement regular activities on an emergency basis; or

• A replacement employee (part or full time) to perform all or part of the duties of the position filled by an employee who is on leave of absence or who is incapacitated, or to perform work created by a vacancy while searching for a regular employee.

Does the temporary employee have to meet the minimum requirements of the position?

Yes

Can the temporary position be extended beyond the initial stated termination date?

Temporary and time-limited appointments may not be extended beyond the stated ending date without a written request to and approval from the Office of Diversity and Equity Programs and the Department of Human Resources Management. The request should state the reason(s) for the extension and the new ending date. A maximum of two extensions will be considered for approval. See:

• Exceptions to the University's Employee Recruitment and Selection Process

Is the temporary employee benefits eligible?

Temporary employees do not earn personal leave or major medical leave during the first four and one-half months of their employment in temporary status; however, if the temporary employee is extended beyond four and one-half months and works 50 percent or more, they become benefits eligible, including leave accrual and participation in PERS.

 

Temporary employees are covered by Social Security and Workers' Compensation.

If the temporary employee becomes benefits eligible, the hiring department should contact HRM to schedule the employee for New Employee Orientation, or have the employee complete the Online Orientation.

Does the temporary employee participate in PERS?

If the individual is already in a covered position under PERS, either with the same or another covered agency, they are covered by PERS, even in the first four and one-half months in the temporary position. They are also covered if their temporary status is extended beyond the first four and one-half months and they work 50 percent or more.

Persons employed on a full or part time temporary basis may be appointed to the position on a permanent basis without the department/unit initiating an open search as long as the person selected has served in a temporary capacity for at least four and one-half months. In addition, the individual must meet the minimum educational and experiential requirements associated with the position at the time of appointment. See:

• Support Staff (to be posted externally).

• Exceptions to the University's Employee Recruitment and Selection Process

Thirty (30) days.

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

• Contact Human Resources Management (HRM) to verify position title, job description, or pay range

• If division procedures require:

  • Complete a Position Approval Request Form (PARF) (HRM will accept a paper version of the PARF)

  • Submit the PARF for approval and signatures, up to the final administrative authority

  • Forward a copy of the PARF

    • Mail Stop 9603

    • 150 McArthur Hall,

    • Phone: 1-662-325-3713

    • Fax: 1-662-325-0753

• Seek applicants

• Have the applicant to be hired complete and print an application for employment from the MSU Online Employment System.

Note: Human Resources Management will refer current applicants, if requested, and post the position, if requested.

HR Policies - See Employment

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

The Hiring Department selects applicant:

• Once applicant is selected, contact HRM to verify the salary prior to making the job offer

• Extend verbal offer

• Write letter of offer, with beginning and ending date of employment

HR Policies - See Employment

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

Hiring paperwork is completed, including:

• Employment Action Form (EAF), which requires the same signatures as the PARF.

  • Employment Action Form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher

  • Employment Action Form opens in Excel

• Employment Eligibility Form (I-9) (includes instructions).

  • The I-9 must be completed within 3 days of date of hire, but may be completed once the applicant accepts position.

  • See BANNER form PWAININ to check for I-9 status for an existing or previous employee. The form will indicate whether a new I-9 is required.

• Personal Demographic Data, which replaces the Biographic Data section on the previous version of the Employment Action Form, and the Vietnam Era Veterans, Special Disabled Veterans, and Other Eligible Veterans Identification Request Form.

• PERS Form 4A Noncovered Employment Acknowledgment Form

• W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate (federal)

• Mississippi Employees' Withholding Exemption Certificate, or applicable form for the state of employment, if other than Mississippi

• Requesting a Job Accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) (if applicable)

Send the above completed, signed forms to HRM, mail stop 9603, along with

• Support Staff Employment Application, which can be printed from the MSU Online Employment System by the applicant.

• Applicant Reference Check (completed as part of the Screening and Selection process).

  • See also Reference Checks of Prospective Employees

• Original letter of offer, with acceptance signature

• Vietnam Era Veterans, Special Disabled Veterans, and Other Eligible Veterans Identification Request Form, if applicable

HR Policies - See Employment

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Last modified June 6, 2007